Sky ball sport game

ABSTRACT

A sports game is played on a field or court having opposing goals, each goal having a plurality of striking pads at least 12 feet above the height of the field or court. Two teams are provided, each having at least four players. A ball of high bouncing ability and capability is used. Each opposing goal has a backboard and preferably three scoring pads either on the backboard or behind the backboard. The object of a team is to throw or smack the ball so as to strike a scoring pad and thereby score points.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a game involving opposing teams, usingopposing goals and a ball, as well as a scoring goal for scoring pointsin the game.

BACKGROUND

There are, of course, many ball games involving opposing goals,including soccer, basketball and American football. Scoring points insports games using a ball or the like involves a wide variety ofmechanisms. For example, in basketball the object is to throw the ballthrough a hoop ten feet above the playing surface. In soccer, the objectis to kick the ball into a net guarded by a goal keeper, and the sameidea exists in ice hockey (which uses a puck instead of a ball) and inother sports as well. In American football, the objective of scoringpoints is achieved by advancing the ball into the opposing team'sendzone over a goal line or kicking the ball over a goal post.

In target sports such as darts and archery, the object used by theplayers to shoot or throw, i.e. a dart or an arrow, is adapted to strikea target and at least partially penetrate the target.

However, insofar as is known, there is no game utilizing opposing teamsin which it is an object to score points by throwing a ball or the likein such a way so as to strike a target on an opponent's goal post withthe ball or the like, and thereby score points, and without adhering tothe target.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present sport game can be played co-ed or by all males or allfemales, and is played with two teams. Each team desirably hasapproximately ten players, but preferably a minimum of only four playersper team are allowed to play at a single time.

The present sport game is desirably played on a court which may be 100feet by 50 feet, but can be larger or smaller, preferably no more thanabout 20 percent larger or smaller. If played on a court, indoor andoutdoor, the court surface may be any hard surface, and playing onsurfaces such as dirt, gravel and grass is not desired because the ballwill not react properly and because of the preferred rules of the game.

At each end of the court there is located a scoring goal post with abackboard the top of which is desirably about 15-18 feet off the surfaceof the court, plus or minus about 15 percent. If the backboard is lessthan 12 feet above the court or more than 20 feet above the court, itbecomes difficult to play the game according to the desired objectives.Each backboard at the top of the goal post has an area of preferablyapproximately five feet by five feet containing preferably threestriking and scoring pads, each desirably of circular configuration andeach having a diameter of about 12-18 inches, the three scoring padspreferably and desirably being arranged in a triangle shape.

The object of the game is for the players, at least four on each side,to throw or smack a ball so as to forcefully strike/slam the pads on orbehind the backboard of the opposing team with the ball or the like.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example of a court in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a prospective view of a backboard for use in the game of thepresent invention, such backboard having three scoring/striking padsthereon.

FIG. 3 shows a facing side view of the goal posts including backboards.

FIG. 4 shows a back perspective view of such a backboard includingsupporting structure.

FIG. 5 shows a pair of goal posts including backboards, shown from therear.

FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment of the backboard.

FIG. 7 shows the erection of such a goal post including backboard,without striking/scoring pads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one embodiment, the sport game of the present invention isplayed in a league called “SKY BALL® LEAGUE” having the followingpreferred game rules:

SKY BALL® games are played with four active players vs. four activeplayers, e.g. co-ed, wherein each team can have a maximum of ten playerson the team roster, and the players desirably wear a SKY BALL® glove tofacilitate smacking the ball.

SKY BALL® games consist of four ten-minute quarters with a three minuteovertime if the score is tied at the end of regulation play.

SKY BALL® games have free substitutions throughout play.

To initiate play at the beginning of the game and at each quarter, thereferee “slams” the ball with a “starting slam” at center court so thatthe ball bounces upwardly about 40-75 feet off the court into the air.After a score by the other team, a player must pass the ball whencrossing half court to a team mate with a “passing slam” by hitting theball so that the ball bounces off the court, for example 8-10 feet intothe air. However, opposing team players can attempt to make a steal, inwhich case the opposing team does not need to start with a “slam.” A“smack” is the contact that a player uses to propel the ball, so aplayer “smacks” the ball using his/her gloved hand, either directlytowards the goal attempting to score, or to a team mate, or into thecourt surface to create a bounce.

SKY BALL® games have scoring means or mechanisms at each end of thecourt and desirably comprise three scoring pads 10 which are 12-17 feetabove the court surface 12.

In SKY BALL® scoring, each time a player smacks or throws the SKY BALL®and hits a scoring pad, the scoring team receives one point. However, aplayer smacks the SKY BALL with sufficient force to register a “smash”,especially while using/wearing a SKY BALL® glove, the scoring team willreceive three points. In another presently preferred embodiment as shownin FIG. 6, the backboard is provided with holes 14 of diameter 12-18inches through which the ball passes to score, and approximately 5 to 9inches behind the hole is a scoring pad 10′.

A SKY BALL® player fouls out of the game once he or she reaches four (4)fouls. The foul rules are similar to those of basketball, although lesscontact is intended to result in fouls because the game may be playedco-ed. Acceptable forms of contact among or between opposing playersinclude intercepting a pass, interceptions during a loose ball, andblocked shots. An opposing team player can “steal” the ball withoutfouling, so long as no more than minimal physical contact between theplayers occurs.

If a player is fouled, his or her team automatically restarts anoffensive series. If a player is fouled while smacking or throwing theSKY BALL® at the scoring mechanism, he or she receives a free smash atthe SKY BALL® foul line. The smack must be a smash in this case (foulsituation) worth one point if the fouled player scores, in which casethe opposing team gets the ball after the score. If the fouled playermisses, the ball is in play.

At the end of the four quarters, the team with the highest points totalwins.

The type of ball used is a SKY BALL® desirably of size 10 cm (4 inches)diameter. The SKY BALL® is disclosed in Kessler U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,638.

As indicated above, the terms “smack” and “smash” are similar to a smackor smash in volleyball, and to be distinguished from a throw. A “smash”is a type of “smack” directed at a goal to score, and which registers toproduce a three point score. To distinguish a “smash”, each pad 10 or10′ may be provided with an electronic sensor which registers when thepad is impacted sufficiently hard by the ball, although other sensingmeans could be used such as pads which create a non-electronic sound,e.g. a rattle, when impacted by the ball or ball substitute.

For desirable and optimum play of the present sport game, the goal postand the ball are particularly important. As indicated above, the balldesirably has a diameter of 10 cm and is capable of a very great abilityto bounce, such as shown in Kessler U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,638, and soldunder the trademark “SKY BALL®. The goal post 16 has a height ofapproximately 15 feet and carries a backboard 18, desirably of aflexible metal mesh or fabric mesh, having a plurality of scoring pads,e.g. three scoring pads 10 as shown in FIG. 2.

As indicated in FIG. 2, there are preferably three pads 10, and theseare preferably each 12-18 inches in diameter and placed in a triangularpattern as shown in FIG. 2. As indicated above, the scoring pads 10 canbe made of a material that rattles upon contact, have pockets to captureballs instead of or in addition to the pads, or can trigger anelectronic sensing device, such as lights or sounds.

The backboard 18 on the goal post 16 is desirably an open mesh havingresilience and flexibility and the mesh is desirably an open weavefabric or metal mesh, of dimensions which are desirably approximately 5feet by 5 feet in the preferred embodiment. The metal mesh or fabricmesh backboard is resilient and absorbs the impact of the ball, allowingit to drop downwardly rather than expressively bounce backwards, andthus keeping the ball in play.

The rules of the game permit a player to throw the ball to a team mate,shoot the ball at a scoring pad by throwing or smacking the ball towardthe pad, or to dribble the ball. Running or “travelling” as inbasketball is not permitted.

As indicated above, the scoring surfaces comprise pads 10, preferablythree pads on or behind the backboard 18, the pads being in any desiredarrangement, e.g. preferably arranged in a triangle. The pads 10 aredesirably circular, each being preferably about 12-18 inches in diameterin a preferred embodiment. Electronic sensors are desirably located inthe pads to signal scoring when a pad is impacted by a smacked ball orthe like.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fullyreveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applyingcurrent knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applicationssuch specific embodiments without undue experimentation and withoutdeparting from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations andmodifications should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is tobe understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation. The means, materials,and steps for carrying out various disclosed functions may take avariety of alternative forms without departing from the invention.

Thus the expressions “means to . . . ” and “means for . . . ”, or anymethod step language, as may be found in the specification above and/orin the claims below, followed by a functional statement, are intended todefine and cover whatever structural, physical, chemical or electricalelement or structure, or whatever method step, which may now or in thefuture exist which carries out the recited function, whether or notprecisely equivalent to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed in thespecification above, i.e., other means or steps for carrying out thesame functions can be used; and it is intended that such expressions begiven their broadest interpretation.

1. A method of playing a sports game on a playing field or court havingopposing goals, each goal having goal post backboard and a plurality ofstriking pads at a height greater than the average height of theplayers, and in which a ball of high bounce capability is used,comprising: providing two opposing teams, each team comprising aplurality of players; providing opposing goals, each comprising abackboard and at least one striking and scoring pad; initiating playwith said ball of high bounce capability; scoring by each teamcomprising throwing or smashing the ball of high bounce capabilityagainst a said striking and scoring pad, wherein each team attempts toscore points by smacking or throwing the ball and striking pads on orbehind a goal post backboard, and each team scoring points when the ballis smacked or thrown against a striking and scoring pad on or behind thegoal post backboard of the opposing team; wherein smashing the ball withsufficient force against a said pad results in a higher score thansmacking or throwing the ball to strike the pad with less force.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the opposing teams each comprises four activeplayers, and wherein more points are scored by smashing the ball againsta striking pad, and less points are scored by throwing the ball againsta striking pad.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the opposing teamseach comprises at least four active players.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the ball is in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,638.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said striking pads are at a height of atleast 12 feet above the playing field or court.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein smashing the ball against a said striking pad scores threepoints, and throwing the ball against the said striking pad scores onepoint.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the goal post backboards are ofmesh material, and the striking pads are supported by or located behindthe mesh backboards.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the goal postbackboards are flexible and resilient, and formed of an open meshmaterial.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein each backboard is of a sizeapproximately five feet by five feet, plus or minus 15%, and supportsthree said striking pads or holes in front of three said striking pads.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the striking pads are circular and ofa size of about 18 inches, plus or minus 20%.
 11. The method of claim 4,wherein the striking pads are at a height of at least 12 feet above theplaying field or court; and the goal post backboards are flexible andresilient, formed of an open mesh material, and the striking pads aresupported by or located behind the mesh backboards.
 12. A goal forscoring in a sports game, comprising a supporting pole carrying abackboard at an upper end thereof, the backboard being flexible andresilient, and formed of an open mesh material, at least one scoring padlocated on or directly behind the backboard, an opening through thebackboard when the scoring pad is located therebehind, the opening beinglocated in front of the scoring pad, the scoring pad being adapted torecord a score when struck by a ball or substitute therefor, the scoringpad being at least 12 feet above a surface of the sport game.